Showbiz

Cine-technicians Earning Quasi Rent

By Ananta Wagle

With this year’s budget granting the growing cinema sector its long- demanded facilities at par with a manufacturing industry for the import of machines, further surge is expected in this business. And, as one of the likely results, the remunerations of cine-technicians are expected to shoot over the roof.

Indications to that direction are already visible in certain categories of cine-technicians. Take for example, the case of the cameraman and his assistants (I’m not committing gender discrimination, as the females have not opted so far here to go behind the camera except as directors/producers and dress designers).

The cameramen can be categorised into two grades. ‘A’ grade cameramen today charge between Rs. 60,000 and Rs. 80,000 per cinema of 50 to 60 days of shooting duration. And the same rate is going for ‘B’ grade ones, but part of their remuneration goes to pay their assistants who get up to Rs. 20,000 per cinema. Raju Thapa, Manju Kumar Shrestha, Gautam Shrestha and Shambhu Sapkota, are among those who belong to grade ‘A’. Hardly a year ago, they used to charge between Rs. 30,000 and Rs. 40,000. The increase over the last one year can be attributed to the fast increase in the number of cinema produced during that period. Similar increase is expected also this year, thanks to the generosity shown in the budget. Cameramen, who are in limited supply in the market, were quick to respond by quoting their remuneration higher - up to Rs. 100,000 per cinema for shooting schedules beginning August 2001. The benefit has also trickled down to the ‘assistant cameramen’ who are now getting established as ‘cameramen’ and charging Rs. 50,000 plus.

Next beneficiary from the expansion in the industry may be the crane operator who needs to be of sturdy physique as the job requires heavy physical work because the remote-controlled cranes are yet to arrive here. Crane operators too are in limited supply with Chaudhary of Laxmi Puja Films as the most sought after one. But the Rs. 500 to Rs. 700 per day job itself of the crane operators is in danger because remote-controlled cranes can be introduced any moment now thanks to the arrangement for concession on import duty. They may better start learning the new technology so as to avoid being obsolete.

Another category of behind the screen technicians, with almost as important role as that of others, is that of lightsmen (also called lightsboys) who are paid between Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 10,000 per person per cinema. About seven of them are needed per cinema. Though the demand for these boys too is to go up now, new ones can be trained in a short period so as to meet the increased demand. So, there is less chance in this case to earn rent.

Among the next group of cine technicians in short supply are the make-upmen, and also the hairdressers for female artists playing the role of heroines.

Established make-upmen, among whom include Santu Tamang, Ashok Rokka and Sambha D Patil, charge between Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 20,000 (plus the material cost) per cinema, while their assistants get between Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 7,000. Among the hairdressers doing good business at present are Ritu Rana, and Parvati. Generally, the artist herself makes the choice of the hairdresser. For example, Karishma Manandhar prefers Ritu Rana. Hairdressers’ charge may go up to Rs. 20,000 per cinema depending upon the requirement of their involvement and the complicacies of the hairdo. And one advantage they have is that they can manage to work simultaneously in two or three movies.

Perhaps the most scarce type of technical human resource in Nepali cinema is the dressman, who makes up to Rs. 20,000 per cinema. Most renowned among them is Junge (meaning moustached) Bhattarai - the same person who appeared in the controversial TV ad of ‘Puja’ soap asking Jal Shah : "Madam, is it Okay ?"

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